


beyond the moon

by freckleder



Series: among the stars [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Kissing, M/M, Sharing a Room, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 00:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11025114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freckleder/pseuds/freckleder
Summary: "Dating“ – It was such an innocent word, only six letters long, yet it didn’t stop crossing Tadashi’s mind. Oikawa had been the one to take the initiative and brought it up. Tadashi had blinked at him, a small drizzle of the orange juice he was about to drink ungracefully running down his chin.---An office romance was not something Tadashi would've expected to come with his job, yet here he was, dating Oikawa Tooru. Then the two of them got send on a business trip, giving Tadashi enough time to think about what he wanted.





	beyond the moon

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to my oiyama office AU! It's not a stand-alone fic so my advice would be to read the other fic first so everything makes sense here. If you're not up for that here's a one-sentence summary (spoiler alert in case you haven't read it yet and plan to): Yamaguchi just finished university and started working in Oikawa’s team for a company, where they gradually realize the fact that they like each other and they kiss at the end. 
> 
> I'd like to thank Pon again for her support and advice!!

_„Dating“_ – It was such an innocent word, only six letters long, yet it didn’t stop crossing Tadashi’s mind. Oikawa had been the one to take the initiative and brought it up. Tadashi had blinked at him, a small drizzle of the orange juice he was about to drink ungracefully running down his chin. They were dating, slowly getting to know each other, trying to see if it worked for them. ‘ _No pressure’_ Oikawa had said – Tadashi had almost laughed out loud at that – and continued to eat his breakfast, unfazed, if it weren’t for the redness on his ears that gave away the tiniest hint of nervousness.

They agreed that there wouldn’t be any flirting at work and that they wouldn’t let their co-workers know – yet – in order not to create a weird mood.

 

* * *

 

Tadashi had expected an awkward atmosphere, but work turned out to be surprisingly normal. He took that as another sign that things were going well.

He stirred his coffee while he listened to the typing sounds of multiple keyboards being used at once, only interrupted by mouse clicking and short phone calls. He was reading an email Ennoshita forwarded to him, when the door opened and Oikawa came in to hand him a document. It took him a moment to notice the post-it that said _“Lunch at 12:00?”_ and had a small drawing a spaceship and some planets on it.

He glanced at Oikawa with raised eyebrows, who gave him a wink and then nodded at the post-it. Tadashi nodded in response to let him know that the time was alright, before quickly picking it off the document and hiding it in the pocket of his pants. _Almost_ no flirting at work. Part of him wanted to tell him off for doing so, but if Oikawa would stop writing him these notes then he wouldn’t have any messages to put on his fridge so he could wake up to them the next morning.

 

* * *

 

They chose a nearby park, barely large enough for a playground and half a dozen benches, to have lunch. They sat under the large branches of the trees that provided them with some shade, so they were at least somewhat protected from the hot summer sun.

Tadashi watched Oikawa unbutton the upmost button of his shirt while he fanned air at himself, before unpacking his food. It was store-bought. It wasn’t the first time that Tadashi noticed that.

“Do you cook sometimes?” Tadashi asked.

Oikawa stopped fiddling with the cling film and looked up. “I mostly make simple meals, nothing that takes up too much time. It’s too much of a bother to cook elaborate meals for one person.”

Tadashi nodded. It was similar to his situation. Sometimes he’d get together with some friends from university and they cooked large meals together, but when he ate alone it was mostly food that was easy and quick to make. “You shouldn’t only eat store-bought meals then, they’re not good for you.”

Oikawa cocked his head to one side. “It saves time. Do you prepare something for lunch every day?” He glanced at Tadashi’s lunch box with curiosity.

Tadashi nodded. “Do you want to try some?”

“Is it alright for you? I’m only going to take a tiny bit.”

“Help yourself,” Tadashi said and held the box a bit closer for him to pick something out with his chopsticks.

Oikawa took a bite and looked at him in surprise. “It’s actually good!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he said, wondering whether it was alright to give Oikawa a little nudge.

“I didn’t expect it to taste bad,” he defended himself. “Just not better than mine from the convenience store.”

There Oikawa was, sitting on a park bench, surrounded by traffic and sky scrapers, trying his food for the first time and liking it. It was a mental image that kept lingering in Tadashi’s mind all day. He could picture it before him, the small piece Oikawa cautiously picked out, the way he slowly raised it to his mouth, the subtle change in his expression when he tasted the food.

Tadashi quickly stuffed some food in his mouth when Oikawa noticed his stare, pretending like he hadn’t been watching him intently just a second ago. “So…where do you always buy your suits?” He quickly changed the topic.

“It depends. Are you looking for a new one?”

Tadashi shrugged. “I’ve been considering getting an expensive suit, for important meetings and such.”

“Yeah, that’s important. You might never know if an important occasion comes up.” Oikawa eyed him up and down for a moment. “Are you free on Saturday? I could show you the stores I like to frequent and help you pick one out.”

Tadashi nodded profusely. _A Date_. With Oikawa Tooru. On Saturday. His schedule couldn’t be clearer.

He let Oikawa eat half of his lunch, after assuring him three times that it was alright to have some more, while he shared the convenience-store-bento with him.

 

* * *

 

On Saturday Tadashi had arrived ten minutes too early only to see Oikawa already waiting for him. He had led him into a store where people opened the door for them. Tadashi had been unsure whether they’d find something fitting but Oikawa refused the help of a store clerk so they could look on their own and he wouldn’t feel pressured to buy something he didn’t want. Oikawa helped him pick a suit with a modern design and a good fit. A lot of factors came in to buying a suit that Tadashi had never considered before. “It’s important that _you_ wear the suit, not the other way around.” Oikawa had said. “It has to compliment you, not overpower your appearance.” After a lot of changing and buttoning up shirts only to unbutton them minutes later, he had come home with a suit in his bag.

Saturday became their date-day. Soon Tadashi knew all cafés in the area. Tadashi would sit there, watching Oikawa stir his coffee and adding two packs of sugar, noticed the way his nose scrunched up when it was still too bitter, while the rain was pattering against the large glass windows, and there was nothing he’d rather do. He found himself genuinely laughing out loud at the stories he told from university and when they both agreed that putting pineapple on pizza was an insult to the person that invented pizza he was sure that things were going in the right direction.

At work, when they didn’t have much to do, he found himself pondering. Was there a point where they’d sit down and discuss how things would progress? Or was it better to wait and let things take their course? Tadashi wasn’t sure if there was a point in time that marked their trial period as over and they both said what they felt.

When Oikawa came into the office, humming victoriously, they all knew that something was up. Ennoshita stopped slouching in his chair and Yachi put her call on hold. All eyes were on Oikawa.

“Today an important client who is going to work with us in the future came in, and I just secured _us_ that project.”

Tadashi would describe working with Oikawa as challenging, often exhausting but extremely rewarding. Oikawa knew exactly when they were working intensely or when they were only half-heartedly putting something together. He knew that Yachi was the fastest typer but often panicked during business calls, or that Ennoshita knew his numbers better than anyone. He was aware of their capabilities and how to push them without making them lose motivation, which in turn was the reason why they trusted his judgement. A big project meant something they could and were willing to handle.

He smiled at their reactions and added, “In order to start off with this project I’m going on a business trip to Kyoto next week from Thursday to Friday. I’m going to take Yamaguchi-san with me since he has never been on a business trip before, so I can show him the basics.”

Tadashi blinked a few times. He’d be going on a trip with Oikawa! He was aware of the fact that they’d spend the whole time doing work, but a business trip was a trip nonetheless. He tried to hide his excitement but he couldn’t help the smile that slipped on his face.

“We will be departing next Thursday at 8 am at the train station, but I’ll give you further information on the trip when I know more.”

“Of course, I’m looking forward to this experience.”

Tadashi knew that this wasn’t a favour and he would genuinely come along to work and learn. If Oikawa was one thing, then he was fair. He wouldn’t have gotten involved with Oikawa if it would’ve meant that he’d be treated differently from his co-workers.  

 

* * *

 

Tadashi arrived at the train station half an hour earlier to give himself some time to pick up a breakfast and find the right platform. He was equipped with a backpack and his briefcase, headphones – Tsukki’s old ones – drowning out the chatter of the crowd, and a cup of coffee from a bakery he found on the way in his left hand. He had agreed to meet with Oikawa directly at the platform so that’s where he ended up being. He leaned against the stone wall, preferring to stand since they’d be sitting all day long, while he was on the look-out for Oikawa.

The train station reminded Tadashi of an anthill, he was surrounded by people in suits. He didn’t like train stations. Much like airports, they gave him an empty feeling in his chest. It was a place that’s only purpose was to wait, there was a strange energy that collected from all the wasted time. Tsukki always said he was being silly but he’d see him off whenever he went home to visit his parents nonetheless.

Tadashi checked his phone ever so often to make sure he was on time, the train was already waiting for them at the platform, but it didn’t take long for Oikawa to arrive. He pulled a suitcase along his side, a briefcase in his other hand, nothing out of the ordinary. What Tadashi hadn’t expected was the u-shaped travel pillow wrapped around his neck.

He flashed Tadashi a casual smile that made his restlessness vanish in an instant.

“Morning, I see you’re all packed up and ready for our trip,” he said. “Let’s go in?”

“Good morning! Sure, do you have the tickets?”

Oikawa patted his right pocket. “Of course.”

The travel expenses were covered by the company so they took the fastest train. It was quiet as Tadashi put his briefcase away and the backpack down on the floor.

It was roughly a two-hour ride to Kyoto, so he had made sure to put enough music on his phone to keep him entertained. Additionally, he had brought some documents about the topics they’d discuss with the other branch. He wanted to go through them one more time to be well prepared.

Oikawa chatted with him, but as soon as the inspector had checked their tickets, he opened his backpack and slipped a sleeping mask on and fell asleep, eliciting a smile from Tadashi. He had imagined Oikawa in his usual business manner, maybe reading a newspaper and typing away on his laptop, yet here he was, nodding off in the seat next to him. Tadashi watched him for a while before turning his gaze to the notes he had brought with him. He read for a bit until he was sure that he could recall most of it if asked. He glanced at Oikawa one more time, then he had a look outside the window, watching the trees and meadows rush by. He saw a farm. Trees on a meadow. A small town. More trees.

Tadashi sat up with a jolt. He couldn’t remember when he had dozed off but at some point, his eyes had gotten heavy. He looked to his right to see Oikawa leaning against his shoulder, the neck pillow shoved aside. Tadashi reached for his phone to check the time. Half an hour left until their arrival. That in turn made Oikawa stir and he moved even closer to him. Tadashi blinked a few times. This wasn’t just a dream he was having, and neither was the warm, fuzzy feeling he was getting?

He stole another glance at Oikawa’s face, this time a little bit longer than before, when Oikawa opened his eyes and blinked right back at him. Tadashi mouthed a soft ‘ _Oh’_ and froze. Their faces were only inches apart. Tadashi quickly faced to the front, frantically trying to think of a good retort, while his cheeks got hotter and hotter.

“Now this is a sight I wouldn’t mind waking up to every day,” Oikawa said teasingly.

“I don’t know what happened, I woke up and saw you sleeping on my shoulder, so I was just checking to see if you were alright! I wasn’t staring at your sleeping face or anything.” He quickly fumbled with his phone and almost dropped it. “We have about twenty-five minutes left, looks like we’re almost there.”

He sat still for a moment, feeling awkward and a little bit guilty, when he heard a muffled laugh coming from Oikawa. “It’s alright, there’s no need for you to be so nervous. I really don’t mind,” he flashed him a smile, one cheek still red from the spot where he rested on Tadashi’s shoulder. Tadashi took a deep breath. Oikawa made his feelings and rational thinking jumble, like a leave that was drifting on the ocean and got thrown around by the waves.

A mechanical voice from the speakers announced their arrival. Tadashi packed up, headphones wrapped around his neck, as they made their way to the exit. The train station was like the one in Tokyo, crowded and busy. Tadashi breathed a bit easier when they left the building.

They took a taxi to the hotel to save time. They had thirty minutes to check in and unpack, before they had to arrive at the Kyoto branch. Tadashi wasn’t sure what to expect of a hotel paid by the company, he didn’t ask for much expect for air conditioning to combat the summer heat.

The hotel was looking decent from the outside, an uncountable number of rooms stretched out in front of Tadashi’s eyes. They followed a red carpet inside. A friendly receptionist in a black and red uniform greeted them with a smile. Oikawa had been responsible for their tickets and the reservation, so Tadashi let him handle the check-in while he kept an eye on their luggage.

The receptionist worked fast. In the blink of an eye each of them held a card for their room in their hands. They took the elevator to the fifth floor and Tadashi saw their reflection in its mirror. He realized quickly why Oikawa had chosen a suitcase and not a backpack for their trip. His jacket had gotten wrinkly from the straps. He tried flattening the folds by pressing them down with his palms, which achieved nothing. He scolded himself in his mind because he only brought one set of clean clothes for the next day.

“What are you doing?” Oikawa asked while he watched him with raised eyebrows.

“My suit looks messy and I’m trying to cover that up a bit,” he said, biting the inside of his cheek. He wasn’t sure how the meeting with the Kyoto branch would go down. He was fairly familiar with the practices at their own meetings and how his team worked, but this was once again completely new to him. He wanted to make a good first impression.

Oikawa looked at him like he was concentrating hard, then he reached forward and adjusted Tadashi’s tie. “There you go, all done. There fashion police won’t arrest you for a few wrinkles on your jacket, nobody’s going to notice.”

Tadashi nodded although he wasn’t entirely reassured.

“You look good. There’s nothing to worry about,” Oikawa said after noticing his doubt, this time with more emphasis. It was so genuine, like he was stating a fact, not just a half-hearted phrase to ease his mind.

Tadashi stopped fidgeting around with his jacket. They walked along the corridor, passing by doors to their right and left.

“This is it.” Oikawa stopped in front of one at the very end.

Tadashi checked his card, assuming he’d be in the room next to him, only to see that their number was identical. They’d be sharing a room? Tadashi swallowed hard. It would be the first time they’d spend the night together since Tadashi has stayed at Oikawa’s place after missing the last train. Most of their dates happened during the day and although Tadashi had accompanied Oikawa to his place, nothing more than kissing had happened.

Oikawa walked right in, completely unfazed.

“I’ll take the bed by the window,” he said before Tadashi had even entered the room.

Tadashi took a few cautious steps inside. There was a bathroom right at the entrance, and one big room with two beds. Oikawa had claimed the one closer to the large window, which currently had its shutter down, and had dumped all his stuff on it. They were at least one meter apart – Tadashi could breathe again – so he walked over to the other bed and sat down. There was a desk and two chairs in the other corner of the room, and a flat screen was installed at the wall opposite of them.

He discovered the miniature fridge and water kettle soon enough, pleased by the thought that he’d be able to make some tea when they’d get back in the evening. Tadashi didn’t have much time to look around anymore since they were in a hurry. He quickly grabbed his briefcase and they were on the go.

In the taxi, they checked if they had all the necessary files with them, and then they arrived. The building resembled their own office building a lot, but there was only so much variance that a skyscraper could offer. They entered and got sent to the second floor by the receptionist.

Tadashi patted his pocket to check if he had his business cards with him. They were there, just like the last three times he had checked. Oikawa noticed his nervous fidgeting in the elevator and put his hand at the small of his back, wordlessly guiding him.

“Breathe, you’ll do just fine. We’re not going to talk to the big boss, we’re only here to discuss some details with a small team like ours.” Oikawa showed him the soft smile that never failed to charm Tadashi.

He followed Oikawa’s advice and took a few breaths before they exited the elevator. They were greeted by a silver-haired guy upon arrival.

“Oikawa-san, we were already waiting for you. Did you have a nice trip?” He introduced himself as Sugawara Koushi and welcomed Tadashi with a bright smile.

“Shall we head over to the meeting room? Everyone is already waiting there.”

They met with two other members of the team, who had already prepared a folder with all the necessary information for them. There was Sawamura Daichi, the leader of their group, and Azumane Asahi, a very tall and intimidating man, whose eye contact Tadashi avoided as much as possible.

Tadashi had helped Oikawa prepare for the meeting in the last few days, so he was well informed. He had also snuck some papers home with him to read, just in case. His stomach was settling down and his knees stopped trembling after a while, and when Sugawara cracked a joke and made him laugh, the ice was completely broken.

They didn’t treat him like a newbie, and when they asked him about his opinion on things, he felt his confidence rise little by little. He rejoiced inwardly when Oikawa and Sawamura put him in charge of writing the report for their meeting.

They were working fast. Oikawa and Tadashi had prepared all the data and stats necessary beforehand, which ensured a smooth progress. Tadashi ended up calling Akaashi occasionally to send them some material that they didn’t have on their hands. There were some disagreements, Tadashi figured out that Sawamura was just as stubborn as Oikawa, which were ended by Sugawara suggesting compromises that both teeth-gnashingly accepted for the sake of teamwork.

A busy atmosphere was in the air, there was never a moment someone wasn’t typing or writing something down. Time was precious since Oikawa and Tadashi would only be there for two days and making decisions was easier in person than over the phone or email.

It was way past usual office times when they left the building. The sun was already setting, tinting the city in a deep orange. A soft breeze was ruffling Tadashi’s hair, and although it was still warm, he welcomed the fresh air it brought along.

“We reserved a table nearby for all of us, if that’s alright for you two?” Sugawara asked.

Oikawa hesitated for a moment and shot Tadashi a glance.

Sawamura interfered immediately. “You can’t be thinking about declining. It’s so hard to get a hold of you, and now that you’re finally in Kyoto you won’t even come have dinner with us.”

“Did you miss me that much?” Oikawa said with grin. “We’ll have dinner and one drink, but then we’ll be heading back to our hotel. We have a long day of travelling behind us, especially Yamaguchi-san, who isn’t used to this yet.”

Tadashi quickly dismissed that with a wave, to let them know that he didn’t mind accompanying them at all. His stomach was growling and although he would have been fine with getting some fries and a burger from a fast food restaurant and spending some time alone with Oikawa, the prospect of proper food made him very eager to go to the place they selected.

They had chosen a very small restaurant with dim lighting and music quietly playing in the background. Tadashi was hit by the smell of food when they entered, making his mouth water. The waiter showed them their table and handed each of them a menu. Since the area was very small, there was only space for a handful of tables, which contributed to a quieter atmosphere.

Tadashi sat in between Oikawa and Azumane, who had turned out to be just as considerate and friendly as everyone else he had met so far. He _did_ feel a bit guilty about his judgement upon his first impression, so he was trying his best to be courteous and engage him in a conversation until the food arrived.

“Did you know”, Sawamura started while they were eating, “that we all started working at this company at the same time?”

Tadashi shook his head. “This is my first time hearing it.” He had been focused on the food from the moment it had arrived, letting them catch up on things, and listening from the side, but now Sawamura had his full attention.

“We were all fresh out of university and started as interns at the Tokyo branch. We hadn’t known each other before, except for Suga and I. One time Oikawa-san locked himself out of the building, can you believe that?” He laughed at the memory of it.

“Right, I almost forgot about that!” Sugawara chimed in. “We didn’t have our passes to access the building yet, and the boss sent him to pick up some documents and he couldn’t get in anymore. Since we just gotten to know each other we hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers yet so eventually he had to call the office number and get someone to let him in.”

Next to Tadashi Oikawa had to cover his mouth from laughing so hard. “I can’t remember who picked up the phone but they didn’t recognize me at first. They thought it was a prank call until someone finally told them that I’m one of the new interns here. God, it’s just been a few years but it feels like a lifetime ago.”

He smiled and Tadashi could tell that he was recalling his own beginnings at the company. He had never really told him much about it, but Tadashi had always assumed that he didn’t want to give him anything to dread that was yet to come.

Tadashi eyed the left-over rice on Oikawa’s plate and wondered if he could get away with eating it, so he missed the way the tone of the conversation change.

“What’ve you been up to lately? You’re always busy when I call you,” Sugawara said with a slightly accusatory tone. “That’s nothing new but you’re even rarer to talk to than usual.”

Oikawa shrugged. “I’m a busy man. Work, taking care of the new staff member,” he patted Tadashi casually on his shoulder,” and more work.” 

“Are you sure? Because I heard some rumours that you might be seeing someone,” Sugawara said with his eyebrows raised.

Tadashi went totally still on his seat next to Oikawa.

“Maybe. But maybe I’m also not calling that often because you already seem to get your information from someone else.” Oikawa said with a smooth voice. He leaned forward, returning Sugawara’s gaze.

Sawamura and Azumane, who had both been listening intently, suddenly showed great interest in the patterns of the tablecloth.

“So you _are_ seeing someone.” Sugawara replied, unfazed by the arising tension.

“Yes, and it’s going well if I might say so.” Oikawa’s knee touched Tadashi’s under the table and a glance at Oikawa told him that it wasn’t a coincidence. “That’s all I’m saying, stop looking at me like that.”

Sugawara exchanged knowing expressions with Sawamura and Azumane, while Tadashi had gotten a reddish tint on his cheeks. “How long have you been dating, let us in on some details!” Sugawara demanded.

“No, I don’t think so. By the way, Yamaguchi-san, have I told you that story when I forgot my phone at the office so I headed back in the evening to get it, and guess what – “

“Alright, nobody wants to hear that story!” Sawamura interrupted, then turned to Tadashi. “I’m sorry, we got a bit carried away with all of our personal talk.”

Tadashi shook his head. “It’s fine, you’re all friends so you shouldn’t have to hold back on my behalf.”

They kept on talking for a bit, until Oikawa had a glance at his watch and they decided to save their energy for the next day. They all payed and left the restaurant. Tadashi and Oikawa planned to return to their room, while the rest would move on to another bar.

“You follow this street until the first turn left and it should be right there,” Azumane explained another time to make sure that they remembered the way to the subway station.

“Thank you, that shouldn’t be too hard to find. Have fun and don’t stay out too late, we have work tomorrow!” Oikawa said while he and Tadashi waved them goodbye.

They watched them vanish in the crowd until it was just the two of them left. They casually strolled down the street, following Azumane’s directions.

“So, you’re dating someone and it’s going well?” Tadashi asked with a smirk.

Oikawa looked at him in a playfully shocked way. “Yamaguchi-san, I’m not sure we’re on a level where I can tell you such personal matters yet.” Despite his suave response, Tadashi hadn’t missed the slight blush on his cheeks.

“Really? Tell me more about this mysterious person you’re seeing.”

“Well…” Oikawa started, pretending to be deep in thought. “They are very handsome, always trying their best, very kind and apparently, they enjoy the soundtrack of ‘ _Howl’s Moving Castle’_ a lot.”

Tadashi nudged Oikawa. “Hey, were you listening to my music on the train? It’s not a kids’ movie, you can still enjoy it when you’re older.”

“I didn’t say anything. How do you think I knew that it was the soundtrack to that movie?”

“Oh.” Now it was Tadashi’s turn to blush. He scratched his neck while they walked down the stairs of the subway station.

They looked at the map to figure out in which direction they had to go, then they followed the way to their platform. It was still lively for such a late hour at a weekday, but it wasn’t an unusual occurrence in big cities. The space was mostly filled with the sound of footsteps echoing through the passageways.

They were leaning against the wall while they waited. Five minutes until the next train would arrive. The wind was blowing strands in Tadashi’s hair but he was too tired to push them out of his face. His limbs were heavy after having eaten so much. He wished he could take a nap on the floor.

Oikawa had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, like he was already half-asleep. He didn’t even flinch when the subway came in.

“Oikawa-san, we need to get in,” Tadashi said with a soft voice.

Oikawa sighed and pushed himself off the wall and followed Tadashi in the subway car. He plopped down on the seat next to the exit, Tadashi taking the one next to him.

Tadashi was reminded of sleep-walking. He couldn’t help but think that Oikawa trusted him enough to be his less energetic self and take care of them getting home. He admired Oikawa’s smooth, professional side, but ever so often when they were alone he’d unfold the layers surrounding him, and Tadashi could see the honesty and trust reflecting in his expression and movements.

Tadashi listened to the high-pitched voice of the announcer, letting them know which station the subway would be stopping at next, while the motions of the subway were shaking them from left to right. Their station was only three stops away and they could easily reach the hotel by foot.

After a quick stop at a supermarket to get something to drink they unlocked the door to their room, exhaustion overwhelming them. Tadashi flopped down in his bed with a sigh.

“Do you want to take a shower first?” he asked, not wanting to leave the softness of his blanket yet.

“If it’s okay for you?”

“Sure.”

He heard Oikawa rustle with his jacket and hanging it up on one of the coat hangers in the small closet before stepping into the bathroom. He waited a moment before pushing himself off the bed. He followed Oikawa’s example and hung his jacket up, then searched for his bag of toiletries.

Tadashi sat down on the bed, waiting for Oikawa to finish his shower, and let his gaze roam one more time around the room. He wished their beds would be right next to each other. He gave his own one an experimental shove, just to see if they were movable. It was surprisingly light, letting itself be pushed at ease. Tadashi wondered how close he could push it to Oikawa’s bed without him noticing.

When Oikawa emerged from the shower, he sat on the bed with a sheepish smile and quickly rushed in the bathroom before he’d notice that their beds were only an arm’s length apart.

Tadashi took a quick shower, scrubbing the dust and stress off. He changed in his pyjamas and dried his hair off, not bothering to blow-dry it. He risked a glance in Oikawa’s bag where he kept his toiletries, but nothing caught his eye except for an anti-wrinkle cream that he kept in mind if he needed something to tease him with. He inspected his face in the mirror and wondered if he should shave now or leave it for the next day in the morning. He searched for his razor, then decided against it, then changed his mind once more, until he realized that he was stalling. There was no need to be nervous. They were on a company trip and they were dead tired – a scenario that seemed familiar from the time he had stayed over at Oikawa’s place – so nothing was going to happen. He shook his head. This was ridiculous! He might not be able to stop his heart from beating faster because it was Oikawa he was thinking about after all, but he wouldn’t keep hiding in the bathroom.

Tadashi opened the door with determination. Oikawa was already tucked in, reading something on his phone, only sparing Tadashi a short glance. There was something about the room that was different than he had left it. Their beds were only inches apart now.

“What happened to the beds?” Tadashi asked, fully aware that he was the one who started pushing their beds together first, while he sat down on his own bed.

Oikawa finally looked up from his phone and regarded him with a smirk. “I took inspiration from someone who had that idea first.”

He knew. Tadashi laughed awkwardly, not sure what to say. He couldn’t read the atmosphere at all. Was this Oikawa’s way of telling him what his idea of the night was, or just a bit of flirting? He wasn’t opposed to the idea, but then again, they were at a hotel, they were tired and they had to get up early to work the next day.

“Hey, let’s just get some sleep tonight,” Oikawa said, as if he could read Tadashi’s mind.

Tadashi nodded thankfully. He immediately relaxed, the tension leaving his body. It was as simple as that, he shouldn’t have overthought things.

“I’ll set the alarm at 6:30, alright?” Oikawa asked.

“Sure, that sounds good.”

He heard a tiny bleep when Oikawa had set the alarm, then he put his phone down on the nightstand.

“I’ll switch off the light now.”

It went dark. They kept their windows closed because of the traffic, so all they could hear was the white noise of the air conditioner.

“Yamaguchi-san?”

“Yeah?”

“Things _are_ going well, right?”

“Yeah. Sorry, that was a bit too unenthusiastic. I’m tired. But yeah! I enjoy… _this_.”

 “Good. Me too.”

Oikawa smiled. Tadashi couldn’t see his face because it was pitch-black, but he could tell from his voice.

“Good.”

“Argh, I need to see what your face looks like.”

A second later he felt a hand on his left eye and forehead. Tadashi laughed. “Stop, that’s my eye.”

The hand fumbled around his face, touching his ear, and then a second one joined and they were both cupping Tadashi’s cheeks. He was about to say something when he heard Oikawa shift next to him and a moment later he felt lips being pressed against his.

Oikawa sighed right next to his ears when they broke apart, before Tadashi pulled him in for another open-mouthed kiss.

“Wait.” Oikawa eventually interrupted with a raspy voice. “We’re stepping into dangerous territory.”

Tadashi nodded. He knew that by now Oikawa had to be able to make out the outlines of his face but he couldn’t see the blush that was covering his entire face. “Agreed. Let’s save that for another time.”  

It was silent for a moment and Tadashi wasn’t sure what to say. Or if he was supposed to say anything at all.

“So…goodnight?”

“Goodnight, Yamaguchi-san.”

“Can you call me ‘Yamaguchi’ when we’re alone? It’s a bit awkward to use honorifics.”

“Fine, then you have to stop using honorifics for me as well.”

“Alright.”

“Then goodnight, Yamaguchi.”

“Goodnight.”

He reached for Oikawa’s face and gave him a peck on his forehead before falling asleep.

 

* * *

 

Another early morning followed. Tadashi learned how to tie a tie while sprinting to the subway station because they were running late, as well as how to eat an entire breakfast during a conference meeting without anyone noticing. He _did_ almost choke once when he exchanged a look with Oikawa who had his cheeks stuffed with milk bread.

Before they left for Tokyo again they had a meeting with the boss of the department to discuss the next steps they’d take. They held a little get-together in the break room, where Sugawara and Azumane had prepared snacks and coffee for everyone.

Oikawa was mingling with the crown, while Tadashi was checking a mental list to make sure that he had made a copy of everything that they needed, when Sawamura walked up to him. He gave him a pat on the shoulder. “You did a good job for someone who just started. I’m glad that another reliable person has joined our team.”

“Thank you so much, I’m happy to hear that.” He knew his cheeks were burning up. He wasn’t used to such receiving compliments.

“Of course, I’m sure we will work closely with each other in the future,” he laughed. “It’s been a while since Oikawa-san has brought someone new along, his team handled the workload of five people for over a year.”

Tadashi looked at him with big eyes. It was already a common occurrence to work overtime, but he knew that Oikawa was always staying behind the most. He often had to remind him that it was time to go home. “Then I’m glad to be supporting them, it’s much more manageable for all of us together.”

Sawamura nodded. “Make sure he doesn’t overwork himself. Oikawa-san always keeps quiet about work and does it all by himself instead of splitting it evenly with everyone.”

Sawamura knew him pretty well, Tadashi thought. It was a relief to hear that he had made sure that Oikawa was taking care of himself in the past.

A hand was thrown over his shoulder and Oikawa appeared next to them. “Yes, hello? I think I heard my name being mentioned.”

Tadashi exchanged a look with Sawamura. “Well, I was just telling Yamaguchi-san about all the projects you’ve been working on in the past,” Sawamura said with a smile.

“Oh, I’m looking forward to discussing those on our little trip back to Tokyo. Anyways, Yamaguchi-san, our train leaves soon so we should get going.”

Tadashi followed Oikawa around, biding goodbye to the Kyoto branch. He didn’t leave without exchanging phone numbers with Sugawara, who wanted to stay in touch, and a few of the snacks that were shoved into his hands for the train ride.

 

* * *

 

Tadashi sank into the comfortable leather chair at the train with a sigh. He was exhausted. He enjoyed the business trip, but it meant a lot of new experiences and now his mind was tired from always being on focused. Nonetheless he reached for his laptop. He hadn’t forgotten that he was in charge of writing the report of their discussion, which was something he wanted to get out of the way quickly.

He was about to begin writing when Oikawa slowly pushed his laptop shut. “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to get work done.” Tadashi replied, opening the laptop again.

“You’ve been working all week, it’s time to rest,” Oikawa said softly.

Tadashi gave him a look and demonstratively started typing. “I’m not the one who’s constantly staying late at the office and working overtime.”

“No, but you’re the one who always kicks me out of the office for exactly that reason. Let me be the one to do the kicking today.” He reached forward and closed Tadashi’s laptop for the second time.

He would’ve rolled his eyes if he wouldn’t know that Oikawa was right.  “Fine, I’ll continue writing later today.”

“I have another suggestion to make. Since we’re officially done with work once this train arrives, how about you come to my apartment and I cook dinner for both of us?” Oikawa asked.

“Sure, that sounds lovely.” Tadashi was all here for letting the day end in a relaxed atmosphere. His headphones were already dangling around his neck but when he was about to put them on he had an idea. He always had a spare pair of earphones with him, in case they broke, so he pulled those out. “Can I interest you in some music?” he asked and gave one earphone to Oikawa.

The rhythmic rattling of the train was like a melody being played on repeat until it became background noise. They shared earphones and Tadashi selected his playlist with movie soundtracks. Their arms touched on the armrest while the warm evening sun was shining on their faces.

 

* * *

 

Oikawa unlocked the door to his apartment. Tadashi stepped in, but he didn’t have time to take his shoes of before he was being pressed against the closed door, Oikawa’s lips against his.

Tadashi let his briefcase fall on the floor from his outstretched arm. He didn’t hear the noise it made when it hit the floor. His mind was occupied with Oikawa, whose mouth was so soft against his, who sighed when Tadashi ran one hand through his hair, who started unbuttoning the upmost button of Tadashi’s shirt. His eyes were closed while he focused on kissing Oikawa back. A shiver went down his spine when Oikawa’s hand grazed his neck and he found himself leaning into the touch.

Oikawa pulled away and cautiously started undoing the next button on Tadashi’s shirt. He looked up to see Tadashi’s reaction, who was still trying to catch his breath. “I’m…fine. You can go on.” His face was burning up when Oikawa nodded and unbuttoned the remaining buttons on Tadashi’s shirt.

He was about to untuck his shirt from his pants when they were interrupted by a growling noise coming from Tadashi’s stomach. He wanted to disappear. Why was his stomach betraying him in such a crucial moment? ‘ _Maybe he didn’t even hear it’_ Tadashi thought, but Oikawa stopped in his tracks. He looked at Tadashi, who had gone even redder than before, then he buried his face against the crook of his neck and started laughing. After regaining his composure, he looked up at Tadashi with a soft expression, a smile all over his face and tears of laughter in the corners of his eyes.

“I’m so sorry, this happens when I don’t keep my promises. Dinner it is?”   

**Author's Note:**

> This short series is over, I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I really wanted to focus on affection gradually becoming more and getting to know each other side by side rather than complete infatuation. I think they're two people that work well together and take comfort in each other's presence, so I hope i was able to portray that. 
> 
> Please remember, I get most of my information from the internet you might stumble across things that are inherently not japanese (feel free to tell me in the comments though, so I can improve that in future fics)


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